Former Malaysian PM to go on trial on February 12

Hanoi (VNA) – Former Malaysian Prime Minister
Najib Razak will go on trial on February 12, 2019 on charges linked to
multi-billion-dollar losses at the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development
Berhad (1MDB), a court ruled on August 10.

The trial will run from February 12 to March 29, 2019, Judge
Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali said in a pre-trial hearing. About 50 witnesses
are expected to be present at the trial.

Najib, 65, was arrested last month and has been charged
with three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abuse of power, and
the latest charge updated to three counts of money laundering.

Each count carries a fine and a sentence of up to 20
years in prison. The former PM pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been
granted bail.

All seven charges against him relate to an alleged
transfer of 42 million MYR (10 million USD) from SRC International, a
subsidiary of 1MDB, to his personal bank accounts between August 2011 and March
2015 when he served as Minister of Finance and Prime Minister.

The former PM founded the 1MDB investment fund in 2009,
supposedly to serve Malaysia’s development through global partnerships and
foreign direct investment.

However, it became the centre of a money laundering scandal, allegedly causing
losses of up to 3.7 billion USD and leading to probes into the financial
markets in several countries such as the US, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia,
and China.

Najib and his wife were first questioned about the 42-million MYR transfer
shortly after he was defeated in the national election in May. They were later
barred from leaving the country.

From the raids on several of his family’s properties in Kuala Lumpur, police
seized assets worth up to 273 million USD.–VNA